Man shouts hate slurs at woman, then punches and leaves her with broken spine in Forest Hills subway attack

Cops need the public’s help in finding the man who uttered anti-gay slurs and viciously assaulted a woman on board a subway train in Forest Hills.

The NYPD Hate Crimes Task Force is investigating the Nov. 30 assault that took place at 5:10 p.m. on board a Manhattan-bound E train approaching the 71-Continental Avenues station.

According to law enforcement sources, the hateful suspect got into a verbal dispute with a 20-year-old woman, during which he uttered a slur based on what he believed to be the woman’s sexual orientation.

Video of the confrontation can be seen below (the NYPD did not provide audio with the footage):

Moments later, the woman began walking away from the man. Police said the suspect then punched her in the back of the head and shoved her to the floor of the train car. The assailant then exited from the train at 71-Continental Avenues and fled to parts unknown, authorities said.

Officers from the 112th Precinct and NYPD Transit District 20 responded to the incident along with EMS units. Paramedics rushed the victim to Elmhurst Hospital, where she was treated for a fractured spine.

On Dec. 8, the NYPD released video footage of the assailant, who’s described as a black man believed to be between 50 and 60 years of age, standing 5 feet 11 inches tall and weighing 220 pounds. He was seen in the video wearing a gray knit cap, sunglasses, a camouflage vest and a black sweater.